On “I Love Mohammed” poster controversy in Bareilly, Owaisi said that I can say ‘I love Modi’ in India, but not ‘I Love Mohammed’. He appealed to follow the law by condemning the violence. So far 81 people have been arrested in this case.
Hyderabad: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi reacted to “I Love Mohammed” posters and signs, claiming that someone in India could say ‘I love Modi’, but cannot say ‘I Love Mohammed’. His remarks have come amid tension in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where a protest over these posters last week became violent.
Owaisi said- I am a Muslim and because of Mohammed
Addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad on Thursday, Owaisi questioned in which direction the country is going. He said, “Anyone can say ‘I love Modi’ in this country, but not ‘I love Mohammed’. Where are you taking this country? If someone says ‘I love Modi’, the media also becomes happy. If someone says ‘I Love Mohammed’, it is objected to it. If I am a Muslim, it is because of this Mohammad, it is not more than 17 crore Indians in the country.”
Owaisi surrounds UP government over Bareilly violence
Owaisi’s remarks came amid a tense atmosphere in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, where the protests over “I Love Mohammed” posters on 26 September became violent. Aimim Chief said, “We condemn the violence … there are videos in which the police are lathi -charged and the shopkeepers are throwing flowers on them.
Owaisi’s appeal- stay within the purview of law, do not take law in your hands
Expressing concern over law and order, Owaisi questioned the government’s role, “I want to ask the government why they are making so many laws, and what is happening? 3000 Muslims in Assam were rendered homeless by saying that construction was on government land …” He appealed to people to be patient and stay in a legal realm and said, “We should not be troubled by the situation, we should not work for the laws.” Do not do everything. Do not take the law in your hand, you will realize that the law is just a spider and nothing else.
81 arrested in Bareilly violence so far
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) National General Secretary Nafees Khan and his son Farman Khan in connection with the 26 September protest in Bareilly, which has increased the total number of arrests in the case to 81. According to the police, the decree handled the IMC’s Facebook page.
Bareilly Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anurag Arya said that Nafees and his son revealed that “all were involved in the conspiracy”.
In response to unrest, the Bareilly administration suspended mobile internet and broadband services for 48 hours, which was effective from 3 pm on 2 October to 3 pm on October 4. A group of people gathered outside the house of Ala Hazrat Dargah and Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) head Maulana Tauqir Raza Khan with placards “I Love Mohammed”. The protesters pelted stones at the police during the protests that took place after the prayers of Jumme.